My Little Cannibal...........

You know my daughter use to do this. I just pressed lightly on the side of her cheek and told her no and she would stop feeding. After a little while she understood and I have not had the problem since. I hope you find an answer, because I know how painful that is. Good luck.

Hello there,

I have a nine-month-old too, and she is doing exactly the same thing and has been for months. She is doing it less now though, so maybe my technique is working. I simply say "no", very seriously, to which she laughs. If she does it again, I put those puppies away. It's hard because she'll fuss wanting to come back. I wait for a moment and then let her nurse again. If she bites again, same thing. She's gotten a lot better, so maybe there's something about the repetition.

I know it's no fun, good luck!

Hi there! First of all good job on the breastfeeding! I, too, am nursing and have found the whole experience quite wonderful. My son just turned 1 and he is a biter! Usually if I jump or cry out he will stop, however lately he thinks my reaction is funny. Now I just tell him NO in a really assertive voice and if he laughs I pass him to his dad and he fusses and I ask him if he wants to come back to me. I tell him he has to be nice and no biting. It usually works. That's what our pediatrician told us to do. I've never had any cuts or anything, usually it just surprises me and hurts for a minute. I hope I've been of some help! Good luck!

J.-
Congratulations on still nursing! The American Pediatrics Assc. recommends at least a year, and the World Health Org. recommends at least 2! My son was a biter too for a few months when his teeth were coming in...ouch! When he would bite I would press his face into my breast until he let go and then I would pull him off while saying "no biting". It took a little bit but he finally made the association between biting and being taken off the breast, this is hard for babies to do as they have no understanding of cause and effect at this age. He did stop biting me and is still nursing at 16 months. Also, Hylands teething tablets, a homeopathic remedy, worked wonders for decreasing both of my kid's teething discomforts, in case she's biting you to soothe her gums. Good luck! I hope you nurse for a long time to come!
-K.

I nursed my first daughter for 27 months. My second is 19 months, and I am still nursing her almost full time. There is absolutely nothing wrong (and many things that are beneficial) to "extended" nursing.

That being said, both my girls got positively chomp-happy while they were teething. I had to get the nipple shields to protect my breasts from my clothing (and to allow them to heal) because at one point I had three different tooth-cuts on each nipple-area. The only thing that worked for me was to lightly flick the nose while firmly saying NO BITING, then removing her from the breast to sit up-right for a minute.

Sometimes I had to stick my finger in the side of her mouth to pry the jaws apart first, so she didn't bite down then scrape her teeth off the nipple without opening her jaws.

EDIT: Make sure that the boyfriend gets "play time" as well! Breasts DO have more than one purpose...